The Yuan-ti are traditional monsters in both fantasy
fiction and role-playing games.
Long long ago there lived a cult who worshiped a dark and evil serpentine god. They were blessed by
their god with the blood of reptiles. As time went by they interbred with both each other and with normal humans, creating
the diverse breed of snake men known as the Yuan-ti.
Yuan-ti are a genetic fusion of both man and snake and they tend to fall into three broad categories.
The purebloods are the most common form of Yuan-ti, although the name is a bit of a misnomer, as they are also they least
respected and most common members of Yuan-ti society. Purebloods are almost completely human externally. Their reptilian
features (if any) tend to be very slight, such as yellow eyes, long teeth, or a forked tongue. Almost all purebloods can pass for human with little or no effort.
The half-breeds are the next step up the rung on the Yuan-ti social ladder. The half-breeds are true monsters who appear
to be a random mishmash of human and reptile. Each one is unique, one half breed may have a flexible torso and a snake's
tail in place of legs, while another may have a normal human body that is covered in scales and topped with a snakes
head.
Then sitting at the top of Yuan-ti culture are the abominations. Half of these fellows are completely snake (albeit 10'
long 250 pound snakes), while the other half will retain either a human head or a pair of human arms (a Yuan-ti with both is
considered a half-breed). The abominations rule over the other Yuan-ti and there are never more than a few of them in a
group.
The Yuan-ti prefer to subsist on a diet of meat. They favor human flesh, but they will not go to great lengths
to get it. Most of the time they eat flightless birds, which these raise in great herds around their ancient overgrown
cities.
Mental powers are very common amongst the Yuan-ti, foremost among them are the abilities to control reptiles,
alter the senses of others, amplify fears and cause pain. Most Yuan-ti with who are capable of speech are also minor
spellcasters as well.
The Yuan-ti as a whole are a race of evil geniuses. They use everything they can to their advantage and they do not tend
to make stupid mistakes. They almost always attack from ambush, and they make full use of their natural surroundings. They
are masterful trap builders and they tend to put out so many traps that it is almost impossible to approach one
of their lairs without being caught first.
Most Yuan-ti usually tend to live in great overgrown cities in jungles and forests. They prefer to inhabit
ancient abandoned cities that were once great human settlements, but that the jungle has reclaimed once again. Their society
is usually similar to those that once flourished in Pre-Columbian South America.
My monster nodes are usually based upon material in the
various AD&D rulebooks. But they are my own work, as I
often expand the information. In some cases I will
blatantly disagree with the source material. None of these
nodes are cut and paste. You are free to use my
descriptions in any material of your own (even commercial
material), as long as I am credited as the
source.